Apparatus for preparing and handling concrete.



T.' S. LEAKE.

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND HANDLING CONCRETE.

APPLICATION 'FILED APR.I`8.1912.

Patented. Feb. 13, 1917.

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APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND HANDLING CONCRETE.

APPLICATION man Amm. 1912.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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T. s. LEAKE. APPARATUS FOR -PREPARING AND HANDLING CONCRETE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I8, I9I2. I

- Patentedy Feb. 13, 1917.

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. f I y Me., f 4M. @www @muy T.`SL LEAKE. APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND HANDLING CONCRETE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.1B, 1912.

1,215,56. Patented Feb.13,1917.

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` T. s. LEAKE. APPARATUS ROR PREPARING AND HANDLING CONCRETE.

, APPLICATION FILED APR. I8. |912. 1,215,560. A

Patented 1161.411917.

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STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

THOMAS S. LEAKE, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, BY RESINE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

CONCRETE MIXING 0F ILLINOIS.

AND CONVEYING-C0., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION A APPARATUS FOR PBEPABIHG AND HANDLING- CONCRETE.

' Specification of Letters Patent. original application med october 7.1901, serial no.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917. 396,270. Divided 1912. Serial No. 691,611.

Aof Illinois, have invented certain Anew and useful-Improvements in Apparatus for Preparing and Handling Concrete, of-l which the following is a specication.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved apparatus for measuring and mixing together concrete forming elements suchA as crushed rock, sand, cement and water. More specically the object of my vention is to provide an apparatus comprising two separate mixing devices, a common measuring apparatus adapted to alternately feed solid materials to the two devices, a common water measuring` device adapted to alternately supply water to the two mixing devices, and a common controlling mechanism for the mixing device and for the measuring devices.- My invention further relates to certain improved structural features and arrangement of parts as set forth in the following specification and claims.

Il do not herein claim the features of novelty and invention incident to the combined mixing and conveying apparatus which I have shown and described, as these are presented in my co-pending application Serial Number 396,270, filed October 7th, 1907, of which this application constitutes adivision.

And I do not herein claim the features of novelty and invention incident to the mechanism which I havey shown and described for effecting the preliminarv measuring and feeding of the` solid materials as these are presented and' claimed in my copeliding application Serial Number 691,610, filed April 18, 1912, as a division of my said application Serial l\`hiiiibe,rl 396,270.V

Of the drawings,

Figure l, is a side elevation of a mechanism embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the measuring apparatus shown in the upper part of Flg. 1,

tha view lbeing taken from the right hand si e; I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, is a vertical -cross sectional view taken through the center. of the left hand mixing receptacle, shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the water feed pipe shown in Fig. 4;

and this application led April 18,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the mixing receptacle and adjacent parts shown in theV lower left hand part of Fig. 1; F i 7 is a sectional plan view of the mixing receptacle shown in the lower left hand part of Fig. 1, together with certain adjacent parts; F 8 is a sectional line 8 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the valve at the bottom of one of the mixing receptacles;

view taken along the Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of.

I oneciof the mixing` receptacles, theA view bev ing taken along the line 10-'10 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings representsA a bin for holding gravel or broken rock adapted to be Vused in forming concrete.

0n each` side of -the bin 20 are sand and cement bins 2l and below'thebins 21 are measuringchambersor receptacles 23. 'Ijhe receptacles 23 are connected with the bins .20 by means of supporting braces 64.' The receptacles 23 are supported from theJ other parts of the frame of the mechanism bv means of vertical columns 69, 69. Eachof' the bins 20 is divided'by a partition 48 into two compartments 49 and 50, clearly s hown in Fig. 3. The larger compartment is for sand and the smaller compartment 50 is for cement. At the bottom of each bln 21 is a gate or valve 51 which simultaneously controls the openings at the bottoms of the two compartments 49 and 50. rlhis gate slides in guides 53. Each measuring chamber or receptacle 23 is divided by a partition 24 into compartments which correspond to the compartments 49 and 50.

A tilting vessel or receptacle V is mounted on a shaft 2S below the' rock bin 20. The

` or lug 57 vessel V is provided with parallel sides and with a bottom formed in two sections,each of which inclines downward away from the center, and with a central partition 27 which divides the vessel into' two chambers 25, 25.

' Arms 55 extend'upward at the front and rear of the vessel V and each has connected to it links 56 for. controlling the valves 51., 51, of the bins 21, 21. Each bin is provided with levers 59 which are pivoted at 60 and which have slots 61 engaging pins 61a on the valve 51. Each lever 59 is provided with a horizontal pin 62 and each link 56 has pivotally connected to its end two parallel links 56a and 56h. 56" are respectively provided with teeth 58a and 58", the teeth being oppositely beveled so that one of them 58a will engage the corresponding pin 62 to pull but not push, while the other of them, 58, will' engage the pin to push but not pull. Each link 56a is also provided with `a second beveled tooth adapted to co-act with a stud 63 projecting from the wall of the corresponding receptacle 23. When the tilting vesselA V is moved from the left hand position shown in Fig. 1, to the right .hand position, the lugs 58a on the left hand levers 56 eng e valve 51 vof the left hand bin 21 to open position. After the valve has lbeen opened the lugs 57 engage the pins 63 and lift the levers 56a to disengage the teeth 58a from the pins. During the tilting vessel and of the levers, the teeth 58 on the right hand levers 56b engage the right handpins 62and cause the valve 51 of the rightv hand bin 21 to be closed. When the parts are moved in the opposite directions thesteps' which I have described n are reversed and the right hand valve 51 is opened A and-the left hand valve 51 is closed.

The bottom of each measuring receptacleI 23 `is controlled byV a gate orvalve 66 adapted to slide in aguide 65. .Two pairs of links 67 67, are pivbted to the vessel at 68 on the front and rear and each is pivotally connected at its other end-65a to one of the valves 66. When vthe vessel V is in the left hand posi-v v tion the left handvalve 66 is open and the 4 valve 66 is open.

right hand lvalve is closed. When the vessel is moved to the right hand position the left hand valve isfclosed and the right hand valve is open.

At the bottom of each receptacle 23 there is also rovided a manually controllable :slide valve or gate 70 provided with a handle 71. This valve is intended to be suitably adjusted to regulate the rate of flow of materials out of the receptacle when the Each chamber 25 of the .tilting vessel is closed at its lowerl outer extremity by The links 56a and,

ave the left hand pins 62 and -move the' same movement of the.

- an axis at 73. 72, 72, are counter-weights which normally serve to hold thegate in operative closed position. 30, 30, are chutes each arranged to aline with `one of the lower outer parts of the vessel, the left hand chute alining with the vessel is in its left hand position, and' the right hand Y chute alimng with the vessel in Aits right hand position. Adjacent eachchute 30l is a stop 74 arranged to en age -thel counter-weights 72 and throug them to move the gate 29 into open position as the corresponding part of `the vessel comes into alinementwith the chute. Stops 75, 76, are provided lto-limit the oscillating movement of the vessel V.

132is an operating lever suitably pivoted at 133, and provided at its upper end with a handle 145. A Pivoted at 140 is afbell crank having arms 1'41, and 142. The arm142 is connected with the lever 132'by means of a link 143. and the arm 141 is connected to the tiltingE vessel V by means of a link 138 pivotally connected to the vessel at 139. 144, 14'4, are.stops or .catches mounted on the main frame of the mechanism and adapted to engage thelever 132 to lock it with the tilting vessel in one position or the other.

101 is a dash-pot connected by a link 102 to the tilting vessel V in such a way as to retard its movement and take up shock.

32, 32, represent mixing receptacles suitably arranged to receive materials discharged from the chutes 30, 30. Each receptacle is preferably cylindrical in form and is provided with a conical bottom. Communicating with the bottom of each receptacle atits apex is a discharge or delivl eryr conduit 34 which may lead to points at which the concrete is to be used duits 34, 34, for the two receptacleswmay be entirely separated or may be joined into a.

single conduit at some suitablepoint. Each conduit 34 is provided with a slide valve 91 provided with an opening 92 adapted when the valve is in one position toA register with the .opening through the conduit.

Each receptacle 32 is provided with an opening 77 through which 'material can pass and each is provided with a segmental valve 79 mounted on a .shaft 80 and adapted to engage with a curved surface 78 at the lower edge of the opening 7 7 to close the opening. The shaft 8O of each valve has connected to it a crank 81 by means of' which the valve can be moved in the manner to be hereinafter set forth.

At the center of each mixing receptacle 32 there is a yvertically rotatable shaft 82 vupon which are mounted inclined stirring lpaddles 83, 83. The shaft is supported at its lower endby means of a transverse framework 8 7 and at its upper end has a bearing secured to thetop of the receptacle. At the lower end of the shaft below the framework 87 are additional stirrers or paddles 90, 90. The shaft 82 carries at its upper end a bevel gear 100 which meshes with a bevel pinion 99 on a horizontal shaft to which is also secured a sprocket wheel 98.

94 is an air motor mounted on the frame- `work of the machine preferably between the two mixing receptacles 32. The shaft of the motor is provided with sprocket wheels 95 and drive chains 97-97 extend over the sprocket wheels 95, 95, 98, on the mixing receptacles. In this way power is transmitted from the motor to continually drive the stirring devices in the receptacles.

Pipes 124a and 125a communicate with the interiors of the receptacles near the upper parts thereof and are adapted to supply air under pressure to the receptacles for a purpose to be described. Mounted upolr the framework 87 in the lower part of each receptacle are nozzles 89, 89, at the ends of pipes 88, 88. These nozzles 89, 89, are arranged to deliver'jets of air or other fluid vertically downward toward and into the discharge or delivery conduit 34.

:Arranged about each receptacle 32 is a spiral pipe orlmanifold 84. to which water can be supplied. A plurality of short pipes or nipples 85 provide communication from the manifold 84 to the receptacle 32. pipe 85 preferably comprises two separate sections connected by a union 86.

105 is a water measuring receptacle arranged to receive water through the pipe 104 controlled by the check valve 106. A compressed air pipe 107 controlled by a valve' the receptacle 104 at I 111 communicates vwith its top. Water discharge pipes 113 and 115 lead from the measuringreceptacle 104 and communicate with the splral pipes or manifolds 84, 84. Valves 114 and 116 are provided for controlling the flow of water through the 'pipes 113 and 115 respectively; An opening 117 is provided-in the top of the receptacle 104 (see Fig. 8) and this is con` trolled by a oat valve 119 mounted on the arm 120 which is pivoted at 118. The arm 120 is apertured at 122, a guide and stop extending through the aperture. The p et cock 117a is provided at the top ofthe receptacle. v

123 is the main 'air supply pipe for the apparatus as a Whole and is provided with a number of branches One of the branches 124 is controlled by a valve 129 and has two forks one of Which leads to the pipes 88, 88, and the nozzles 89, 89, at the bottom of the left hand receptacle 32, and the other of which 124a leads to the top of the left hand receptacle 32. Another branch 125 of the pipe 123 is controlled by a valve 130 and has two forks one of which' leads to the pipes and the sprocket 98,

Each

the right hand receptacle 32, and the other of which 125a communicates with the top of the receptacle 32. Another branch 126 of the pipe 123 leads to the air motor 94 and is controlled by the valve 128. A fourth branch of the pipe 123 is the pipe 107 which has been before referred to as leading to the water measuring receptacle 104.

The` valves at the topsand at the bottoms of the receptacles 32 are preferably controlled by the same operating lever 132 which controls the measuring apparatus for the solid materials. The valves 79, 79 are controlled by means of thev cranks 81, 81, and a link 137 which connectsl cranks. Thislink has a pin 136 tends through a slot 135 in the lever 132. It will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings that when the lever' 132-is shifted the cranks 81,81, will be operated to open and close the valves 79, 79. The slide valves 91, 91, have connected to them links 93, 93 which are pivotally connected at 134 to the lower end of the operating lever 132. It will be apparent that'when the lever is moved the links 93, l93 will act to open and close thevalves 91, 91.

In operation each of the bins 20, and 21, 2l, are kept Filled with the gravel or crushed rock being placed in the bin 20, sand in the compartments 49 of the bins 21, and cement in the compartments 48 of the bins 21. The bin120 is open at its bottomv and the rock therefore flows out until one 'or the other of the chambers which eX- the two proper materials,

25 (for instance the right hand one) is filled., 'A The gate 29 being closed prevents the rock flowing out of the chamber. At the same time sand and cement flow from the com-` partments of the bin 21 to fill the corresponding compartments of the receptacle 23.

It will be understood that while these steps are taking place the 'vessel V is locked in its left hand position because of the engagement of the lever 132 with the right hand set of stops 144. However when the chamber 25 and the chambers in the receptacle 23 have all been filled an operator releases the lever 132 from engagement with the catches and the vessel V thereupon automatically moves under the weight of the rock on the right hand side to its right hand position. As this movement takesI place the right hand valve 66 is opened and the right hand valve 51 is simultaneously closed, the flow of material into the receptacle being `thus stopped, and the How of held material out of the receptacle ybeing'thus hand receptacle is perplace as vhand chute 30, the corresponding gate 29 is automatically opened and the valve 79 at the top of the right hand receptacle 32 is also automatically opened by means of the link 137 and the crank 81. As soon as the gate 29 and the valve 79 are opened the rock from the chamber 25 vand the sand and cement from the receptacle 23 flow together into l the receptacle 32, a partial mixing of the three materials being thus immediately effected. As soon as the materials have all passed into the right hand receptacle 32 the lever 132 can be again released, this time from the left hand set of catches 144 and the parts will automatically move to permit the filling of the left hand receptacle 32.

By properly proportioning the chambersl for the three kinds of materials any desired proportion of materials can be delivered to the mixing devices. By properly adjusting the valves 71, 71, the rate of iiow of sand and cement can be regulated to insure the best possible preliminary mixing with the rock. It will be noticed that .the entire operation is automatic except for the releasing of the lever 132 by the operator. The operator, however, needs to apply no power as the movement of the mechanism takes place by gravity.

It "will be understood that the rotary mixing devices in the receptacles are continuously in operation and that mechanical mixing of the solid materials therefore takes soon as they are introduced. As soon as the materials are in the receptacle the contents of the water receptacle 104 can be at once discharged into the receptacle32 by opening the air valve 111 and the valve 114 or 116 as the case may be. As soon as the air is admitted to the receptacle 104 it at once forces the water out through the manifold and into the mixing receptacle. The float valve 119 serves to prevent the escape of air at the top of the receptacle 104 while the water is being expelled'and the check valve 106 prevents air from flowing backward through the pipe 105.- As soon as the Water has been all expelled the valve 111 is closed and also the valve 114 or 116 at the bottom of the receptacle. As soon as these valves are closed water at once commences to iiow through the pipe 105 vto fill the receptacle, air escaping from the receptacle through the opening 117'. As soon as the receptacle is filled the float valve closes the opening 117 and further flow of water is stopped.

After the solid materials have been introduced into one of the receptacles 132 and after the water has been introduced in the manner described mechanical mixing is continued as long as is deemed necessary. It is found however that very short mechanical mixing is needed as the mixing even if incomplete will be made complete by the movement of the materials through the conduit 34. After there has been sufficient mechanical mixing of the materials the operator releases the lever 132 and the vessel V automatically tilts in the manner which has been described and the parts operate to ill the other receptacle 32. A t the same time the valve 79 at the top of the rst receptacle 32 is automatically closed and the valve 91 at the bottom is automatically opened. The operator then opens the air valve, 129 or 130 as the case maybe. Pressure is thus introduced into the receptacle 32-to act upon the top of the mass of more or less completely mixed material to press it downward to- Y ward and through' the entrance to the delivery conduit 34. This downward movement of the material is powerfully assisted by the action of the jets of air delivered through the nozzles 89. These jets move at high velocity and can be considered as directly impinging uponlsrnall sub-masses of the material to advance them. The supplemental stirrers 90, 90, in front of the nozzles 1 serve to prevent any possible choking of materials at the entrance to the conduit.

Not only does the water which enters through the spiral duct 84 and the feed ducts 85, distributed approximately uniformly, both vertically and radially, supply the water for hydrating the cement and moistening the rock and sand but also insures that the inner walls of the receptacle shall be maintained substantially uniformly moistened, so that the charge can be easily expelled under the action of the air.

It will be observed that the apparatus which I hays/'provided is capable of delivering concrete substantially continuously. One vreceptacle 32 can be filled while mixing is taking place in the other and mixed batches of concrete can be alternately expelled from the receptacles in rapid succession. The apparatus is actuated entirely by compressed air and can therefore be placed in any convenient plate to which a supply of compressed air can be conducted. The apparatus can be controlled with very little effort on the part of an operator, 1t simply being necessary for him to release the lever 132 from time to time and to-open andl close the several valves which have been referred to.

What I claim isz" 1. In a mechanism concrete mass, the combination of two separate receptacles adapted to receive and hold 7 ture near its near its bottom, valvesfor the discharge apertures, means for mlxmg materials 1n the two receptacles, a feeding apparatus ar ranged to deliver materials first through the feed aperture of onereceptacle and then through the feed aperture of the other receptacle, and means operatively connected with the feeding apparatus for closing the valveat the bottom of the\receptacle to which material is delivered by the feeding apparatus and opening Vthe'valve at thebot- Y tom of the other receptacle.

. rate receptacles adapted to receive and hold' tus for opening the valve at .the

receptacle being '2. In a mechanism for forming a mixed concrete mass, the combination of two separate receptacles adapted to receive and hold a mass of concrete forming materials, each receptacle being provided with a feed aperture near its top, valves for the feed apertures, means for mixing materials in the two receptacles, a feeding apparatus arranged to deliver materials first through the feed aperture of one receptacle and then through the feed aperture means operatively connected with lthe feed# `lng apparatus for opening the valve for the feed-aperture of the receptacle to which material is delivered by the feeding apparatus and closing the valvefor the feed aperture of the other receptacle. l

V 3. In a mechanism .for forming a mixedv concrete mass, the combination of two sepaa mass of concrete forming materials, each .provided with a feed aperture near lts top and a discharge= aperture nearits bottom, valves for the feed apertures,evalves for the discharge apertures,

the discharge opening ofthe said other re! ceptacle,

and means for mixing the material which 'is delivered to the receptacle.

i 4. In a mechanism for forming'a mixed concretel mass, the combination of two separate receptaclesadapted to receive and hold a mass of concrete forming materials, each receptacle being provided with a feed aperture near its-top and a discharge aperture near. its bottom, valves for the discharge apertures, valves` A V'means' for opening the discharge valve-.of

one receptacle and closing theY discharge valve of the othereand for simultaneously top and a discharge aperture.

of the other receptacle, andv for the Yfeed apertures, n

closing the feed valve of the first receptacle and opening the feed valve of thesecond receptacle, and means for which is'delivered to the receptacle.

` 5. Ina concrete mixing apparatus, a mix-v to have separated ing chamber adapted charges of concrete mixed therein and to recive therefor quantities of rock,.sand, ce-

vment and water proportioned for said charges, and having a feed aperture land a discharge aperture, a valve for the feed aperture, al valve for the discharge Vaper ture, a shifting measuring mechanism above the feed opening having a discharge duct which registers with the said opening when the vessel is in one .-posit'ion, agate in theduct of the measuring vessel, a valve for the mixing the material 1 discharge aperture of the receptacle, and

means to open the gate and the'valve of the feed aperture when the vessel shifts toward `the mixing chamber and to open the valve for the discharge opening of the mixing chamber.

6. In a concrete mixer, a dvmixing chamber having valved openings at the top and -bottom, a shifting measuring vessel adapted in one position to discharge into the upper opening and in another position' to be out of register with the said opening, and connections from the vessel to the valves whereby the top .valve is opened and the bottom valve is closed when the measuring vessel is in po- -sition to discharge into the upperopening, I

and whereby the top valve is closed and the bottom valve is opened when the measuring vessel is in another position.

7 The herein described method 'of preparing and conveying to the place of deposit and use the constituent materials, to wit, rock pieces, sand and cement, which are to constitute at said place of deposit a mass of concrete building material, the same consisting in introducing into a common, re-

ceiver'in proper proportions the several said constituents in an initially unmixed condition and commingling them by a mechanical stirring action, supplying a massof water as a constituent of the concrete supplemenlooA tal` to ythe constituents -aforesaid causing con- V tact of the water with the cement by said stirring action, supplying air under pressure'behind'the commingled mass of con-` crete ingredients, and .by means ofthe said air causing the sub-masses to change their -positions .in relation tojeach other and,

while -so moving or being displaced relatively to each other, to pass from the said receiver to and through a-red'uced delivery duct to said point of deposit and use.

andjconveying masses of concrete form# lng'. materials, which consists in introducl".

8. The herein described method of prepar-l ing the constituent materials, to Wit, rock,.` VY Y sand, cement and water, into a receiver in initially unmixed condition', stirring the the thorough mixing of the materials after cement, sund, rock and water together introduction into the receiver and prior to and thereby distributing the water among discharge from the delivery duct.

the solid particles and hydrnting the ce In testimony whereof, I have subscribed 5 ment, closing the said receiver against air my name.

escupe except at the place of discharge,

conveying the mass containing the Suid sev- THOMAS S LEAKE eral constituents from the receive-r by a body Witnesses:

of .compressed air through a delivery duct v HENRY A. PARKS,

19 to u point of deposit and use, and efecting EDYTIIE M. ANDERSON. 

